


After

by fezwearingjellybananas



Series: Milk and Sugar 'verse [8]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-23
Updated: 2019-06-23
Packaged: 2020-05-17 00:11:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 966
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19328920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fezwearingjellybananas/pseuds/fezwearingjellybananas
Summary: Barry went into the Speed Force. There's no way out.A few people have to be told.(Part 8/12)





	After

Barry had been gone for a week when a woman with all the force of a hurricane showed up at Joe's. He'd invited Eddie and Henry to dinner (making it very clear it wasn't optional), and everything was quiet until a furious knock at the door.

Iris answered and a woman stormed in.

"Hello Joe, I apologise for this," she said. "Where is my nephew, Henry?"

"Ruth," Henry said.

"Answer the question."

"He's gone," Wally said. Barry's Aunt Ruth narrowed her eyes. "There was a weird storm and Barry disappeared."

"A weird storm."

"He went into the Speed Force to stablise it," Iris said. Everyone looked at her. "Barry would have wanted Ruth to know the truth. He sacrified himself for everyone else."

"The Speed Force?"

"It's a sentient force, I think," Iris said. "It gave Barry his powers. Let him be the Flash."

"Barry is the Flash," Ruth said. Joe pulled out a chair so she could sit down. "And he's gone?"

"And we don't know how to get him back," Joe said. "I'm sorry, Ruth."

* * *

"You must be Eddie," Ruth said.

"Yes, ma'am," Eddie said.

"No need for that. Barry talked about you a lot."

"He mentioned maybe visiting at some point." Eddie glanced down. "He was going to tell you one day. He just didn't know how."

"Barry and I haven't exactly been close over the years. But he is still my nephew. He's still alive."

"He is. We just don't know how to get him back."

"He'll come back. He's a lot like Nora, I think."

"Henry says that too. Mostly Barry says she was kind."

"Yes. And she could be unbelievably stubborn. If she felt something was right nothing would stand in her way. I think she'd have done the same thing. She'd certainly be proud of him. And she'd like you, I think."

"I hope so," Eddie said.

* * *

Mari was at home when Cisco knocked on her front door. She frowned slightly.

"Sorry," Cisco said. "I know this is out of the blue, but I think you need to hear this in person."

"Come in," Mari said. She shut the door behind Cisco. "Do you want a drink?"

"I don't think I can stay. My parents and Dante are waiting outside, we're visiting my abeula this week, and we went past and you're our friend even though we don't see you much and, well."

"Oliver mentioned something was going to happen to Iris."

"No, we stopped that. Iris is fine. Engaged. To Caitlin, obviously, you'll get an invite when they set a date and everything. Did you hear about that lightning storm in Central?"

"Briefly."

"That was the Speed Force opening up. Barry went in. And we don't know how to get him out again."

"So, he's gone?"

"He's alive. I'm sure he's alive. And I will find a way to get him out again. But I don't know how yet."

"I'm sorry, Cisco. If there's anything I can do, you know where I am."

"Thanks, Mari. And we're always here if you need help too."

* * *

Earth-38 seemed bright, and sunny. Kara was smiling when she opened the door.

"Iris! Hi! Come in, come and say hi, we're having Family Game Night."

Kara's home looked cosy too. Open plan with big, wide windows (easy for flying in and out of), but covered in blankets and cushions and warm colours. Flowers were sitting on the table and it seemed to fit Kara perfectly.

"You already know Alex, James, and J'onn, and this is my best friend Winn, and Lucy, and this is my cousin Clark, and Lois. Everyone, this is Iris from Earth-1 who I got stuck in a musical world with, and she's the same Iris Barry told us about."

"How is Barry?" Lucy asked.

"Actually, that's why I'm here," Iris said.

"Is it that Cobalt guy?" Kara asked. "Because I really meant it when I said I'd punch him in the face for you."

"He's gone. Erased from existence. It's complicated, I should have brought Lily, she understands time travel better."

"It sounded complicated when Barry was talking about it."

"Barry's gone, Kara. I thought you should know."

"Gone where?"

"Kara," Alex said. "I think..."

"He's not," Iris said. "He might be. He went into the Speed Force and I don't think he's coming out again."

"I don't understand," Kara said. "How can he go into the Speed Force?"

"It's a long story," Iris said.

"Maybe you should sit down," Clark said. "Start at the beginning?"

"Time travel makes this really complicated. It starts in 2024, in another timeline."

* * *

"Are we sure about this?" Caitlin asked.

"Cisco's visiting Mari since he's in Detroit anyway," Hartley said. "Laurel and Lily went to Star City. Iris took the other extrapolator to tell Kara. Ray's gone to find Kendra and Carter. Jesse probably already told them, but we should drop by."

"He might come back."

"He might. But it's already been a fortnight. If he does, it won't be soon."

Ronnie and Jason were already waiting in Harry's office with Harry and Jesse when Caitlin and Hartley jumped through the breach.

Ronnie hugged them.

* * *

"I know we can't do much, Joe," David said. "We can register him as a missing person, there's a few from the night of the storm, but other than that..."

"I know," Joe said. "Thank you."

"Albert can handle forensics on his own for a while. When Barry comes back, we'll find a way to get his job back."

"I don't know how he's getting out of this one."

"I don't always understand what's going on in this city. But I do know Team Labs haven't failed to find a way to save the day yet. If anyone can find a way, it's them."

"I really hope so."


End file.
